Anti-government protests in Pakistan turn deadly as demonstrators descend on prime minister's home

Updated
September 01, 2014 19:28:00

Anti-government protests in Pakistan have turned deadly with the situation dramatically escalating in the past few hours. The protests, which erupted last month, are being led by the former cricket captain turned opposition politician Imran Khan, and a fiery cleric Tahir ul-Qadri. In the past 24 hours, at least three people have been killed and hundreds injured. Witnesses say thousands of demonstrators, demanding prime minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation, are wielding sticks and throwing stones as they clash with police in the centre of the capital Islamabad.

MARK COLVIN: Anti-government protests in Pakistan have turned deadly, with the situation dramatically escalating in the past few hours.

The protests erupted last month, they are being led by the former cricket captain turned opposition politician Imran Khan, and a fiery cleric Tahir ul-Qadri.

In the past 24 hours, at least three people have been killed and hundreds injured.

Witnesses say thousands of demonstrators, demanding prime minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation, are wielding sticks and throwing stones as they clash with police in the centre of the capital Islamabad.

Despite heavy rain, they've broken through police lines and are now pushing their way to the prime minister's home.

Professor Samina Yasmeen, who specialises in international relations at the University of Western Australia, is in Islamabad, staying in the street right next to where the protesters are.

She told our reporter Mandie Sami she's scared that there's no way to contain them.

SAMINA YASMEEN: The youth that have been carrying batons, they've spread themselves in the city. So previously they were just restricted to the red zone, I tried to get some petrol for the car, I really had to drive far away from Islamabad's main areas and even then there were moments that were quite tense.

And then when we came back into the city late at night yesterday, it seemed like disaster had hit, there was one road blocked and then again these youths were standing there shouting. It was quite a tense moment and we were terrified. Even now again hear people shouting, using loud speakers.

If we go out very close, maybe 300 metres away from our home, there's broken glass, there's stones, rocks and what's concerning me is that now these people have started moving towards the prime minister's house. These youth are carrying these batons and they break windows - the car windows. They throw stones and because they have all these batons when they move in thousands, or even in hundreds, anyone including the media is not safe.

MANDIE SAMI: When we last spoke there was a threat to clear these protestors out of that red zone, to make sure that they were gone and that was the order that was implemented by the court. Is that what has prompted this violence, a refusal by the protestors to leave?

SAMINA YASMEEN: In fact what prompted the violence was the decision by Dr ul-Qadri followed by Imran Khan to move towards the prime minister's house and because once they told the people that it's time to move, I think the mob mentality took over, so these thousands of people are carrying batons, moving towards the prime minister's house, burning trees, bushes - which is a beautiful area around this part of the city.

That suddenly turned into a mayhem which I think even those who started it, and I mean Dr ul-Qadri and Imran Khan may not be able to control.

MANDIE SAMI: What do you think is going to happen from this point?

SAMINA YASMEEN: I think there's different possibilities. One is that the military might intervene. The military co-commanders meeting that was held yesterday decided that they would support democracy but if this condition continues and if it seems that the elected government is unable to control or if there's so much difficulty that the mob might start prevailing then we might see the military come in.

Other possibility is that the military might still continue to work to support democracy and urge all the parties and get a (inaudible) government and Dr ul-Qadri and Imran Khan to come to the negotiating table.

MANDIE SAMI: Have there been any arrests or has anyone died in this violence?

SAMINA YASMEEN: Three people died yesterday by last night and until yesterday at least 500 people had been injured and that's a huge number.

MANDIE SAMI: How are authorities dealing with the protestors?

SAMINA YASMEEN: A very mixed picture. The day before yesterday they had used bullets, rubber bullets, and they had tried to fight off the demonstrators. But just right now as the demonstrators are moving in the direction of the prime minister's house, some of the police have basically run away.

So they have decided, because it's raining heavily and their ability to use tear gas is limited and they're frightened because their other colleagues have been hurt but it's much better not to use force.